What is Bariatric?

With a world that is growing and revolutionizing on the basis of getting things done quickly, we have  eliminated the need to move around or exercise by introducing cars and planes and ships for our traveling purposes. Daily travels aside, the work schedule of a person can be so hectic that they spend a good chunk of the day sitting behind desks and growing fatter.

Along with the increase in technological advancements, we were also able to multiply our food resources to accommodate the needs of the population. With a joint collaboration with other countries all over the world where good cash crops grow at a good speed due to their ideal climates, the population has become bigger and bigger till there are now diseases linked with obesity.

Due to the fact that countries interchange food items as part of their imports with each other, obesity is quickly becoming a universal condition, found all over the world. The diseases linked with obesity have finally given rise to the medical branch of Bariatric. The field specializes in the treatment, cause and prevention of obesity. With a special attention to dieting, behavioral therapy and exercise, doctors look to re-rehabilitate their patients towards a safer and healthier lifestyle.

However, doctors and medical experts were faced with two problems. The fact that obesity was getting directly linked to diseases such as Diabetes, heart disease, many types of cancer, chronic skeletal and muscular problems and the fact that shedding weight was no easy task. Most obese people have great trouble exercising and losing weight. More importantly, it was a losing battle for a few.

With obesity being so common, a whole range of Bariatric equipment was introduced which facilitates movement and includes items such as Bariatric beds, toilet seats, cushions, wheelchairs, etc.

Medical science has also branched out and introduced several Bariatric surgical methods which allowed doctors to operate on people and cut out the excess weight. Although the results can vary and not have much effect, they are very popular among any obese person looking to shed weight. The Bariatric surgery is often times the last resort for the person due to the fact that a few surgeries are permanent and non-reversible. However, if done successfully, the surgery benefits and gives a new beginning to the patient’s life.

Resources

http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/default.htm

http://www.webmd.com/diet/weight-loss-surgery/features/life-after-weight-loss-surgery

What are Bariatric Supplies?

In a time when over 34% of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, the need for bariatric equipment has never been higher.  Now, you may be asking yourself, “What is bariatric?”  Bariatric is a term that is given to anything having to do with the treatment, regulation or prevention of obesity.  Bariatric Equipment is a category of medical supplies that characterizes anything designed for patients who are overweight.  In general, this includes bariatric hospital beds, Bariatric Wheelchairs, bariatric benches and scooters.

Sentra Bariatric Reclining Wheelchair

What is Bariatric Equipment Used for?

The answer is:  Just about anything.  All daily functions of an obese patient are affected by the extra weight they carry.  From getting around in a bariatric wheelchair to sleeping in a bariatric bed, patients often require special supplies to improve their quality of life and empower them to live independently as they treat their condition.

In general, these supplies look much like their “regular” counterparts.  However, they are often reinforced in areas where the extra pressure from a heavier individual would cause a failure in most equipment.   They may also be made of materials that are stronger and heavier than their counterparts.  For example, a normal walker may be made out of a light aluminum.  On the other hand, a Bariatric Rollators and Walkers would probably be made out of another metal similar to steel.

Bariatric Side Walker

Bariatric equipment can be found at hospitals across the country.  However, it is much more common at treatment facilities that specialize in weight-centric procedures, such as laproscopic banding, gastric bypass, or liposuction.

In summary, bariatric supplies include any medical equipment that is specially designed to better suit a patient who is overweight or obese.  Bariatric equipment, while sometimes a bit more expensive, is necessary for providing a safe and effective regimen for an overweight individual looking to improve their health and well-being.

Resources

http://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=jzMofJBxLw8C&oi=fnd&pg=PA37&dq=bariatric+equipment&ots=3A-rWqUrLn&sig=Sh_AM-vDAgwgAVNNY0s7M3OtKKE#v=onepage&q=bariatric%20equipment&f=false

 

http://www.dlf.org.uk/factsheets/Choosing_Equipment_for_the_Heavier_Person.pdf

Buyers Guide to Buying Bariatric Equipment

Due to the rise in obesity, there is an urgent need for Bariatric equipment. This is aimed towards giving obese people as much support as possible. Based on this premise, lots of products have been produced by reliable manufacturers towards making life more comfortable for the obese. We shall start by analyzing these products one after the other.

First on the list is Bariatric Bathroom Assist products . These particular bariatric products are developed in a way that they can conveniently adapt to extra weight. Most of them come as extra wide and best of all is that they are made with strong steel so that the support provided to the user is one that is nothing short of stable. The Bariatric Shower Chair comes extra wide and there are models which are specially made to carry weights from 500lbs upwards. In order to prevent any case of accident slips, the shower chairs are designed with drainage holes.

Next on the list is Bariatric Beds. Just like the bathroom assist products, these beds are reliable and strong. They are designed to carry weights that ordinary or standard beds cannot carry: some can hold up to 1000 lbs. Not only this, but with the use of these bariatric beds, wider and more comfortable sleeping spaces are provided. There is a wide range of styles for you to chose from, all thanks to thoughtful manufacturers. It is not only the beds that are designed this way; Bariatric Mattresses exist which are designed to rotate the amount of pressure that the user’s body receives and results in little or no bed sores. Also, there are Bariatric Sheets to complement the beds and mattresses.

KCI Bariatric Bed

We cannot forget the Walkers, Rollators and Crutches which are designed to help obese people with mobility. The Bariatric Scooters and Wheelchairs are also available to provide that much needed mobility for obese people who are confined to wheelchairs. There are accessories in stock also for all the Bariatric equipment you desire to purchase either for yourself or a loved one.

Bariatric options exist in a variety of products. With a little research, it is not hard to find the right product for every person, of any size.

References:

http://www.fireapparatusmagazine.com/index/display/article-display/6912795510/articles/fire-apparatus/Volume-14/issue-07/departments/ems-equipment/bariatric-equipment-for-obese-patients.html

http://www.articlesalley.com/article.detail.php/305941/63/Medicine/Health-and-Fitness/7/Bariatric_Equipment

How to Make Life with Obesity Better

Bariatrics is the treatment of obesity. A person is diagnosed as obese when his or her body fat is great enough to have an adverse effect on health. When body mass index is between 25 kg/m2 and 30 kg/m2, the patient is said to be overweight.

Obesity in America is growing, greater and greater demands are being made on healthcare systems to provide care for them. Let’s face it: life is difficult and painful for people who are obese. They are scorned, and they know it. Most were overweight from the time they were children and have endured the cruelty of classmates who made fun of their size.

Obesity is one of the major preventable causes of death worldwide. It seems to be increasing around the world. There have been times in history when obesity stood for wealth and fertility; however, that is no longer true except in very limited areas of the world. Obese people are looked down upon and often ostracized.

The life of the obese person is painful in many ways. The overweight public does not want to be labeled or categorized as “fat people”. Obese people are often shamed because of their condition. Not only does the scorn and shunning of society hurt, the stress on the body caused by excess weight causes many painful and health- and life-threatening diseases such as type 2 diabetes; high blood pressure with all the illnesses that come with it, such as stroke; osteoarthritis; and obstructive sleep apnea. Many obese people suffer from joint deterioration as a result of their bearing too much weight. The misalignment of the skeleton as a result of the excess weight causes back pain, typically severe.

The most common cause of obesity is dietary excess—the patient eats too many calories—and a sedentary lifestyle. Genetics may also set some people up to become obese although genes, endocrine disorders, or psychiatric illness, all of which are rarely the sole cause.

The standard treatment for a bariatric medical condition is diet and exercise. There are some anti-obesity drugs that may reduce appetite or inhibit fat absorption. If the case is severe enough, surgery is sometimes performed or a balloon inserted to reduce stomach capacity or the length of the bowel. The rationale for this is that these treatments will lead to quicker satisfaction and a reduction in the ability to utilize nutrients from food.

l

Along with the increase in numbers of obese people has come an increase in aids to make their lives better. For instance, Vitality Medical has a range of heavy-duty scooters and wheelchairs designed specifically for larger bodies. This online medical supply company also has inexpensive back supports and knee supports to ease the pain experienced by many larger people. Vitality Medical also has oversized beds to improve the sleep of the overweight person as well as bath chairs to make taking a shower more comfortable. Walkers and canes designed specifically for larger people are available on Vitality Medical’s website.

For the caretaker, Vitality Medical has Hoyer Bariatric Lifts to help move the extra-heavy patient. There are also extra-large commodes. Oversized toilet seats can be purchased on this website as well as special bariatric scales for weighing a patient who cannot be weighed on a standard scale.

Life can be better for the bariatric patient with these special items, and they can be purchased from the privacy of your own home, a special bonus.